Closure device



June 1, 1937. J FARRELLY 2,082,691.

CLOSURE DEVICE Filed June 26, 1935 fur-Sum rg 46 42 "Ilz J4 E I Patented June l, 1937 UNITEDy s'l-"A'rlazs` PATENT ori-ica The present invention relates to closure devices for containers, and more particularly toa valve type of closure device, which is adapted to be permanently or continuously attached to the top of a container, and which is opened or .closed through the rotation of a cap forming part of said device. j A

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved closure device of the type described, which may be manufactured at a very small cost, vand which may be veasily and effectively attached toI the mouth of a container.

Another object is to provide a new and improved air-tight closure device of the type re- 1f ekrrcd to, f or use on liquid containers and the Still another object is to provide `a new and' improved closure device of the type referred to, in which the wear on the relatively movable parts thereof is reduced to a'minimum.

` A further object is to provide a closure member of the type described. which is so constructed as to minimize the possibility of jamming the relatively movable parts thereof into inoperative positions.

The present invention is applied to that type of closure device, in which the rotation of a cap provided with a central openingcauses a valve plate having a valve opening, to oscillate and to bring the valveopening into and out of registry with the central opening of said cap.

As a feature of the present invention, the valve plate has a pair of oppositely disposed circular edges, conforming withthe inner cylindrical surface-of the cap. 1 The valve plate is movable substantially diametrically of the cap, and in a direction substantially transversely of said edges to bring said edges respectively into engagement with diametrically opposite sides of said cylindrical surface in extreme positionsy of said valve plate. lt is seen that in the operation of the closure device, there is little or no sliding movement between the edges of the valve plate and the inner cylindrical surface of the cap, so that 4 there is no wear on the Valve plate, which would affect its operation.

As another feature of the invention, the valve plate has a'sliding guide connection with the 0 mouth of the container,which is such as to prevent the jamming of the plate in an undesirable inoperative position. For this purpose, the plate is guided along a'slot or recess in the mouth of the container, extending substantially radially 55 with respect to the axis 0f theA container.

A 5--5 of Fig. 4,

.As another feature, the closure device is constructed to effect a new and improved snap-fit connection with the mouth of the container.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawing in which:-

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a container having one form of my improved closure device attached thereto,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, and showingthe device of Fig. 1

in closed position,

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing'the closure device in closed 15 position,

Fig. 4 is a section `similar to Fig, 3, but show, ing the closure device in open position,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5,5

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of another form of closure device, and showing said device in closed position, 25 Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of I Fig. 7, x

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken through the closure device similar to that shown in Figi 7, but showing the closure device in open position,

Fig. 11 is a vertical section through another form of closure device having an air-tight connection with the mouth of a container, and 35 Fig. 12 is a perspectiveof another form of clo sure device.

In Figs. 1-6 is shown one form of my lmproved Vclosure device I0 as applied to a collapsible tube or container II, but it must be under- 40 stood that the container may be of any suitable construction, for holding powders, creams, pastes. and liquids. This container i I has an end wall i2, provided with a central opening I3. The closure device II) comprises a rotary cap il having a central opening I5 in axial alignment with the opening I3 of the container. Interposed between the rotary cap I4 and the container wall IZ-is Va valve plate I6. This valve plate I6 has a valve opening I1, and is oscillated in response to the rotation of the rotary cap I4 to selectively bring said valve opening into or out of registry with the openings I3 and l5, so as to block or open the passage between said openings I3 and I5. In 55 order to eiect this oscillatory movement of the valve plate I6, said plate has a pivotal connection I8 with the underside of the rotary cap I4, and has a slide connection I9 with the upper vside of the end Wall I2.

As a feature of 'the present invention, the pivotal and slide connections of the valve plate I4 l are eiected with the minimum of construction. and complication. For the pivotal connection, 10 the valve plate I6 is provided with an upstanding pivot pin 2|, in the form of a cylindrical flange, spun or swaged from said plate. This pin 2i ts into a correspondingly shaped recess 22,in the underside of the rotary cap I4. The slide connection is effected in a similar way, by forming a. downwardly extending guide pin 23 in the form of a flange, extending into an elongated groove 24 formed on the top side of the container I2 and extending substantially radially with respect to the axis of the container. c

When it is desired to actuate the valve plate I6 into open position, the cap I4 is rotated in a clockwise direction from its position shown in Fig. 3. The cap I4, during this operation, car- 25 ries the pivot pi'n 2| of the valve plate I6 along v a circular path concentric with the axis of the cap, while the guide pin 23 slides in the groove 24. The resultant movement of the valve plate I6 causes its valve opening II to move into registry with the openings I3 and I5, into the position shown in Fig. 4.

In order to close the container, the rotary cap I4 is rotated in a cpunterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 4 and into the position shown in Fig, 3.V

The valve plate IG is large enough to cover a substantial portion of the cross-sectional area ofA the rotary cap I4, so as to provide large sealing surfaces contacting between said cap and the end wall I2. Furthermore, the valve plate I6 has a pair of oppositely disposed circular edges 25' and 26 which are curved to conform with the inner cylindrical periphery of the rotary cap I4, so that in the two extreme open and closed positions, of said valve plate, said edges will be respectively in engagement with substantially diametrically opposite sides of said cylindrical surface. In Vthe movement of the valve plate into either of these extreme positions, there is little or no-sliding of its edges against the inner cylindrical surface of the'cap I4, and consequently no wearing oftsaid edges.

As a feature of the present invention', the closure member III is so constructed as to permit its attachment to the neck of the container II in a. facile and expeditious manner. For that purpose, the rotary cap I4 is made-of spring material andhas a downwardly extending annular ange 28 terminating at its lower end in an inwardly extending iiange or lip 29. This iiange 28 is divided into circumferential segments by a series of slots 30 which terminate at their upper -ends in enlarged holes 3|- in order to permit said segments to flex more readily about the horizontal plane of said holes.

In order to facilitate the slipping of the cap I4 over the end wall I2 of the container, the peripheryof said end wall at the upper portion thereof is tapered upwardlyand--has a reduced 70 neck 32 forming an axially and downwardly facing shoulder 33. In attaching the closure device to the container, the valve plate I6 is seated on -the upper side of the end wall I2 with the guide pin 23 extending into the groove 24. The cap I4 75 is then slipped over the valve plate I6 to bring its pivot pin 2| into the recess 22 of said cap. As the rotary cap I4 is pressed downwardly over the end wall I2, the flange or lip 29 riding over the inclined periphery of the end wall I2, spreads out the flange segments until it reaches the neck 32. In this latter position, the ange segments will snap inwardly into locked engagement with the neck 32. The engagement of the lip 29 with the shoulder 33 prevents the withdrawal of the rotary cap I4.

If the container II is to be used for creams or pastes, which are applied by a finger or hand, it is advantageous that the outlet side of the cap opening I5 be chamfered or countersunk to facilitate the scooping of the extruded cream with the fingers.

In Figs. 7-10 is shown another form of closure member in'which the rotary cap may be rotated continuously in either direction, the rotation of this cap causing the oscillation of the valve plate into and out of open position. In this construction, the end wall I2 of the container is provided with a diametrically extending guide groove or trackway 35 in which is reciprocably mounted the valve plate 36 having a valve opening 3l. In order to reciprocate the plate 36 in response to the movement of the rotary cap 38, said valve plate has a cam follower in the form of a pin 39, extending into a circular cam groove 40 formed on the underside of the cap 38. This cam groove 40 is eccentric with the axis of the cap 38, so that the rotation of said cap 38 in either direction from the p osition shown in Fig. 8, causes the movement of the valve plate 36 to the right in the trackway 35, until the valve opening 3`I is in registry with the openings of the containerv and the cap. In this extreme open position, the right-hand end of the valve plate 36 will abut the inner -periphery of the rotary cap 38, and the cam follower 3,9 will extend in the portion of the cam groove 40 closest to the axis of the cap. The continued rotation of the cap 38 causes the valve plate 36 to return into closed position. In other words, the movement of the cap 38 through half a revolution in either direction, causes `the reversal of the valve plate 3B into either open or closed position.

In Fig. 11 is shown a construction for providing an air-tight connection between the vclosure device and the mouth of the container. In this construction, the container 4I is shown of-rigid construction for the purpose of holding a liquid, in which case the closure device will necessarily have to be air-tight to prevent the liquid from leaking out from the sides of the closure device when the container is tilted in pouring position. In this construction there is shown a rotary cap 42 of the same general shape as that previously shown and described, except that the head end of the cap may be of a particular design more suitable for use on liquid containers.

The container 4I has an end wall 43 provided with a central opening 44. A valve plate 46 similar in shape to the valve plate I6 and similarly provided with a valve opening shown in Figs. 1-6, has a pivot pin 41 extending upwardly into a correspondingly shaped recess in the cap 42, and a pin '48 extending downwardly into a radial groove 49 in the end wall 43. Seated on the end wall 43 is a disk 5I of resilient material such as.

a cork or rubber, and interposed between said disk 5I and the valve plate 46 is a thin metal disk or vmetal foil plate 52.

The 'operation of the closure device is similar to that shown and described in Figs. 1-6, the

aosaeoi rotation of the cap 42 causing the movement o! the plate 46 into and out of opened position. The thin metal disk 52 is interposed between the valve plate 46 and the resilient disk 5I in order to prevent the over said disk.

)The snap connection vice and the container is such as. to/hold the parts of said` closure device in snug, rm, airtight relationship, While permitting the necessary relative movements for proper operation. l

In Fig. 12 is shown a form of closure device particularly adapted for uselwith dental cream containers. In this construction, the rotary cap is provided with a central opening 54 of the general type and for the purpose already described with regard to the other forms. and has a diametrically extending groove 55 adapted to guide the bristles of a toothbrush therealong. In the operationof this construction, aftera certain amount of dental cream has been extruded from the container, a toothbrus is passed across the groove 55 with the bristles thereofl extending into said groove, to cut oi` a length of the extraded cream and at the same time wipey oi the cream from around the opening 54. V

Having thus described my invention;V what I claim as n ew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In combination with a container having an end wall provided with an outlet opening, a clo-J suredevice for said openingincluding a rotary sliding of said valve plate directlybetween the closure de-` cap having a central opening in axial alignment with said outlet opening, a valve plate between said cap and said wall member and having a valveopening, and means responsive to the continuous rotation of said rotary cap in one Adirection for oscillating said valve plate to bring said valve opening into and out of registry with said two ilrst mentioned openings.

2. In combination with a container having an end wall provided with an outlet opening, a closure device for said opening including a rotary cap having a central opening in axial `alignment with said outlet openinglva valve plate between said cap and said wail member` and having a valve opening, and means responsive to -the continuous rotation of said rotary cap in either direction for oscillating said valve plate into and out of open position.

3. In combination with a container, a closure device therefor including a rotary cap mounted over the mouth of said ,container and having a central discharge opening, said rotary cap being free to rotate but held against-withdrawal from i said container, and having a diametrically extending groove on the top portion thereof adapted to guide a toothbrush therealong, a valve plate between the mouth of said container and said rotary cap, and means responsive to the rotation of said cap i'or operating s'aid valve plate into` open or closed position.

.JOSEPHl FARRELLY. 

